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Rainforest Alliance

What is the Rainforest Alliance?

Founded in 1987 as an international nonprofit organization, the Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity, develop and promote sustainability, and foster the rights and welfare of workers, their families and communities in more than 100 countries. Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms meet comprehensive standards for sustainable agriculture that protect wildlands, waterways, wildlife habitat and the rights and well-being of farm workers.

The Rainforest Alliance & Teatulia

Rainforest Alliance certification helps conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior with the goal of creating a world where people and the environment prosper together. The Rainforest Alliance helps farmers realize greater economic benefits by ensuring ecosystems within and around their operations are protected, and that their workers are well trained and enjoy safe conditions, proper sanitation, health care and housing.

Teatulia’s mission is to sustain the land and its people while producing top-quality tea. By following the standards for Rainforest Alliance certification, as well as USDA certification, our tea garden has created a diverse and thriving ecosystem that is highly sustainable. And our Teatulia Cooperative provides health, education and cattle-lending programs for the Bangladeshi families who help cultivate our teas.

Sound like a match made in heaven? We think so. That’s why we’re thrilled to have our commitment to sustainability recognized by earning Rainforest Alliance certification for our farm.

What does Rainforest Alliance certification mean?

Rainforest Alliance certification encourages farmers to grow crops and manage their lands sustainably in a way that helps support local communities with environmental protection, social equity and economic viability.

Farms are audited against the standards developed by the Sustainable Agriculture Network, and if they meet the criteria for responsible management, they are awarded the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal.

Rainforest Alliance Certified farms support a healthy environment, promote the well-being of workers and their communities, and ensure efficient farm methods. Environmentally and socially responsible practices help ensure ecosystem conservation, wildlife protection, water and soil conservation, and agrochemical reduction. Certified farms also help guarantee worker rights and safety, legal wages and contracts for workers, and access to decent housing, health care and education.

What is the Rainforest Alliance?

How does Teatulia's vision align with the Rainforest Alliance’s mission?

Teatulia’s vision has always been to cultivate an exquisite tea that benefits the land, its people and the environment.

We were the first USDA-certified organic tea garden to be established in Bangladesh. We created our garden on virgin soil using natural farming methods. We cultivate our land without the use of synthetic chemicals, and we practice soil, water and land conservation. Now, more than eight years since the garden’s inception, not only are we producing great-tasting tea, but we’re also seeing a diverse and thriving ecosystem teeming with a variety of once endangered species of plants and animals.

But the real pride of our tea garden is how it supports the well-being of the surrounding community. Our Teatulia Cooperative is open to both tea garden workers and neighbors in surrounding villages. The Co-op is based around an innovative cattle-lending program, where members receive a milking cow, for which they pay back in milk and cow dung, which are both used by the farm and the community. This bartering program gives members ownership of something that helps them break the cycle of poverty. The program also provides literacy and IT education, access to health care and recreation programs for youth.

What does it mean for consumers?

So what does it mean to look for and purchase products like Teatulia’s organic teas that feature the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal? By choosing products with the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal, you will be helping to support the rights and well-being of farm workers, the conservation of natural resources and the protection of wildlife and the environment. Some of the things you’ll be supporting include:

The protection of wildlife and other valuable habitats in and around farms.

Ensure that water is not only being conserved but water quality is monitored, wastewater is treated and farmers avoid contaminating springs and rivers on and near their properties.

A commitment to worker well-being, including fair and regulated work hours, voluntary and compensated overtime, and health and safety training.

Protection of children of farm workers, who benefit from access to education, decent housing and health care.